Image forming method, image forming apparatus, and print material production method to form an electrostatic latent image by selective light power exposure

An image forming apparatus that exposes a surface of an image bearer with light according to an image pattern including an image portion and a non-image portion, comprising:

• circuitry configured to select one from at least two types of image qualities of an output, wherein
• the image portion includes a plurality of pixels,
• among the pixels constituting the image portion, at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-image portion is set as a non-exposure pixel group,
• when a first image quality of the at least two types of image qualities is selected, a light power value to expose the image portion is set as a first light power value, and
• when a second image quality of the at least two types of image qualities is selected, among the pixels constituting the image portion, at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-exposure pixel group is exposed with light having a second light power value higher than the first light power value.

A print material production method comprising:

• providing an image bearer;
• and
• exposing a surface of the image bearer with light according to an image pattern having an image portion and a non-image portion to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image pattern, wherein
• the image portion includes a plurality of pixels, and
• in of forming the electrostatic latent image, among the pixels constituting the image portion, at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-image portion is set as a non-exposure pixel group, and among the pixels constituting the image portion, at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-exposure pixel group is set as an increased power exposure pixel group where said exposing is performed with light having a light power value higher than a predetermined light power value required to expose the image portion.